15 Vegan Protein Sources

It still seems to be the common misconception that you can’t get enough protein on a plant-based diet.

Well, that’s just not the case.

When it comes to vegan nutrition, these grains, beans, seeds, and vegetables high in protein can provide you with all you need. You can include these plant foods in your vegan diet so that you feel at ease when it comes to getting enough protein.

There are also some healthy recipes to help you integrate these foods into your daily vegan menu.

Grains

1. Quinoa

1 cup of cooked quinoa contains 8g of protein.

2. Oatmeal

1 cup of cooked oatmeal = 6g of protein.

Other higher sources of vegan protein from grains include amaranth, whole grain or sprouted bread, and brown rice.

Adult women need about 46 grams a day (71 grams, if pregnant or breastfeeding)

Adult men need about 56 grams a day.

Typically, to personalise the amount of protein you would need, the recommended daily intake is 0.8 x [your body weight in kilograms] OR 0.36 x [your body weight in pounds].** So, for a 56kg (125 lbs) individual that would be (0.8 x 56kg) = 45g of protein per day, or for a 72.5kg (160 lbs) person, (0.8 x 72.5) = 58g of protein. Work it out for yourself and see how much you need to be getting, at the very least it will provide a rough estimate or starting place.

However, it should be noted that the emphasis on protein and protein intake is often far over-stated. With conflicting information out there, at times it can be confusing as to how much protein you should really be getting. But, it’s important to know that too much protein can be harmful to your health. You don’t need to go out of your way to get enough protein. If you’re eating plenty whole, plant foods, you should be set.

The above are all estimates, to use as a guideline. You can adjust the protein and calorie requirements to suit your needs, and of course focus on choosing foods that you enjoy. The sample menu also helps to show that you can get all of your daily protein requirements with common plant foods. Without even including the protein content of the condiments, it is still relatively easy to get more than the RDA for protein.

As you can see, the grams of protein from a variety of foods do add up. So, you don’t need to get it all from one source. And you certainly don’t need to eat tons of beans to get enough plant-based protein. Heck, you don’t really need to eat any beans on a daily basis as far as protein goes. But, if you are looking for a bit more vegan protein, just add in some more oatmeal, lentils, quinoa, or even a large salad to the above sample menu.